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Germany's Hamburg Süd and Brazil's Aliança have announced that they are scheduled to implement a bunker surcharge increase in August following the recent rise in bunker costs.

The shipping firms said they would raise their surcharges on east coast Americas trade routes by US$25 per twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) from the beginning of next month.

Commenting on the current market climate where carriers are faced with deteriorating rates and higher fuel costs, Julian Thomas, Aliança's Sao Paulo-based managing director, said "We cannot continue to absorb these increases and maintain the service quality our customers demand."

Frank Larkin, Hamburg Süd North America vice president, commented: "Bunker increases are never a welcome event, but we hope our valued customers will recognize the challenges we face given current market conditions and that these changes are necessary to maintain the service quality and reliability they expect."

Larkin added that intermodal service providers, including rail and truck, have also had to raise rates in light of these factors.